Should NC's Virtual Charter Schools Be Allowed To Stay Open?

Thousands of students are attending virtual classes as part of a virtual charter school pilot program.

Kevin Jarrett
/ Flickr - Creative Commons - https://flic.kr/p/igWhB9

Thousands of North Carolina students attend virtual charter schools. The program began in 2015 as a pilot project, and the flexible format is a boon for students pursuing some professional careers, like athletics.

However the two virtual charters operating in North Carolina are rated as low performing by the state. The schools are currently in their third year of the four year pilot project, and the superintendent of one of the schools, Connections Academy, says the institutions should be allowed to keep running after that period wraps.

Host Frank Stasio speaks with News & Observer reporter Lynn Bonner about the latest in the debate over the schools.